Louisiana would be the sixth state in the nation to register voters electronically if a bill approved Friday by the House becomes law.

House Bill 520 by Rep. Greg Cromer, R-Slidell, would authorize Louisianians with valid drivers' licenses or state-issued identification cards to register or make changes in their registration -- such as changes of address or party affiliations -- on-line.

Cromer's bill, sponsored on behalf of Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, passed, 67-23. It now goes to the Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.

If it survives the legislative process and is not vetoed by Gov. Bobby Jindal, the bill would go into effect April 1 next year.

Cromer's bill will cost the state about $300,000 of a $2 million contract already in place with Dardenne's office, according to an estimate from the Legislative Fiscal Office, the arm of the Legislature that evaluates the cost of bills.

"Are you putting us in the in the position of registering dead people?" asked Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin.

Cromer said his bill has safeguards to prevent fraud because Dardenne's office will receive regular reports of individuals who are incarcerated and cannot vote, or those who have died.

The names of the voters who register electronically will be checked with the driver's license or ID numbers and Social Security numbers already on file with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, and if a match is made the person will be registered, Cromer said.

A digital copy of the voter's signature will also be forwarded from the Office of Motor Vehicles to the parish registrar of voters to compare against the signature of the voter on election day.

If a match with ID or drivers license numbers cannot be made, Dardenne's office will inform the person that he or she is not registered. Cromer said if all information on the electronic form is not filled in, the registration is also invalid. A voter who registers electronically must also vote in person, not absentee, the first time after signing up, Cromer said.

Ed Anderson can be reached at eanderson@timespicayune.com or 225.342.5810.